Detroit Free Press Sports Writer

Related Links

Michigan has added to its 2013 roster, even if not necessarily the formal recruiting class. Macomb Lutheran North kicker J.J. McGrath announced he will attend U-M as a preferred walk-on, with the understanding that he will get a scholarship when one opens for a kicker.

“I’m taking a preferred walk on my first year and there’s a possibility I might end up taking a greyshirt,” he said of the process of enrolling in second semester and not being a part of the scholarship class immediately but being included down the road. “I am going to walk on for sure.”

According to the roster, his understanding is that may be as soon as the end of next season, when U-M senior kicker Brendan Gibbons’ eligibility expires.

He would be two classes behind U-M’s other scholarship kicker Matt Wile.

Though he committed to Michigan last Saturday, he didn’t want to announce it publicly until now because he wanted to see if a few other schools considering official visits would come through.

McGrath is listed at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds. He kicked three of the longest field goals in state of Michigan history, from 57, 54 and 52 yards. He was 7-of-11 on field goals and 25-of-26 on extra points in 2012. As a punter he averaged 41 yards.

It was not a traditional path for McGrath, whose family is filled with alums from Notre Dame, Ohio State and Michigan State but not one from U-M, he said and he grew up loving the Spartans. But after some of his friends who will attend next fall started needling him about it last year, he went to a U-M kicking camp in the summer and, after only a short demonstration of 15-20 field goals and 5-10 kickoffs, special teams coach Dan Ferrigno took him to meet U-M coach Brady Hoke.

They talked briefly and then ran into each other at the Free Press/ National Football Foundation banquet in December, where McGrath was on the all-state Dream Team.

Hoke suggested they talk again after U-M’s bowl game, McGrath visited the campus and was hooked.

Even though he has received a few Division I offers, he said none “are on the same level (of Michigan.)”

“I know a lot of the 2013 recruits,” he said. “I don’t know any of the players and haven’t met any of the specialists. But I’m close to Shane (Morris), I know David (Dawson) pretty well and (preferred walk-on long snapper) Scott Sypniewski, him and I are very good friends.”